Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
(OP)
Hello guys and gals I'm brand new to the forum and have question, here goes;
I've done a torsion test on a car chassis with one end secured and the other end attached to a device which has a bar connected perpendicular to the chassis which rests on an arced section of steel on the floor. Now the arced section was placed centrally to the chassis and a load applied on the end of the bar. There was 6 DTI's set up at various points of the chassis (3 either side) and the deflection was taken. Now this was repeated when the shear plates were removed and only the top one in place then only the bottom. So the data that I've got is the load applied, angle of twist, radius of twist, distance from fixed point to load applied and deflection. Now what I was wondering is, does anyone know how to calculate the torque of the chassis per degree, I know how to calculate it for simple round bars/tubes but am confused on how to do it for a chassis. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Will
I've done a torsion test on a car chassis with one end secured and the other end attached to a device which has a bar connected perpendicular to the chassis which rests on an arced section of steel on the floor. Now the arced section was placed centrally to the chassis and a load applied on the end of the bar. There was 6 DTI's set up at various points of the chassis (3 either side) and the deflection was taken. Now this was repeated when the shear plates were removed and only the top one in place then only the bottom. So the data that I've got is the load applied, angle of twist, radius of twist, distance from fixed point to load applied and deflection. Now what I was wondering is, does anyone know how to calculate the torque of the chassis per degree, I know how to calculate it for simple round bars/tubes but am confused on how to do it for a chassis. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Will





RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Doesn't get much easier than that does it?
Your degrees of twist are just the angular motion of your rocker system.
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Will
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Will
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
perhaps you'd be better to post an example of your calculation, this is going nowhere fast.
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Sample Calc:
(mass*gravity*deflection)/angle of twist
This will give you N.m/degree, now I'm not sure if this is the right calculation to do?
Thanks for your patience and help
Will
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
The formula you are looking for as follows:
stiffness = torque (applied) / angular deflection (measured)
Torque applied = load applied * radius of force application
The mass of your structure only comes into calculations if you are trying to come up with a specific stiffness measurement.
Best regards,
Matthew Ian Loew
"Luck is the residue of design."
Branch Rickey
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Will
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
Although (Like Greg) I am still a little unclear about just exactly what you are trying to achieve - Mleows formula is the one I use for this sort of calculation. Two things I would add though.
(1) Make sure you work in radians !!!
(2) You may find that it is appropriate to add a torsional stiffness factor K and warping stiffness factor Cw into this calulation based not only on the geometry of your chassis - but also the way in which the fixed end is secured and the load applied.
Formulae for the calculation of Cw and K can be found in most stress formulae handbook - I personally use Roarks - but there are others which people can recommend.
The deflections measured by the DTIs should capture the detail you require to assess how effective your shear plates are in their respective positions. Be aware though that the effect of transverse shear stress can significantly decrease the torsional stiffness of the structure. This effectively sets a maximum limit for K as J - the polar moment of inertia (J = Ix + Iy)
For the structures I have experience of (Automotive chassis) this figure is generally in the 22 - 29 NM/deg.
Sean
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
For the structures I have experience of (Automotive chassis) this figure is generally in the 22 - 29 NM/deg.
Greg writes:
For the structures I have experience of (Automotive chassis) this figure is generally in the 1.5-30 kNm/deg.
(ie, you got the units wrong, fair enough, and the range is MUCH bigger than you might think, once you go back in history or consider some of the more extreme examples)
The lower end is/was things like Austin 7 replicas and other horrible ladder chassis. The top end is any decent German sports sedan. 10-20 is when the magic happens, above that you are getting worthwhile improvements, but it is no longer night and day.
If you have a 'normal' sedan the clue is that your first and second modes start to look like pure bending and pure torsion, whereas below the 'magic' stiffness you tend to have a pair of mixed torsion and bending modes.
Cheers
Greg Locock
RE: Calculating Torsion In A Chassis?
A lot of good advice and ideas in there.
SACEM1